The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the central government to file an affidavit in response to two PILs challenging the appointment of Shashi Kant Sharma as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on ground of conflict of interest. The Bench of Acting Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Vibhu Bakhru agreed to hear the pleas filed by advocate M L Sharma and nine other persons,including former CEC N Gopalaswami. The PILs say Sharma should not have been appointed as the CAG since the auditor is expected to look into defence accounts which Sharma,as the defence secretary,had been responsible for since 2003. Referring to the Agusta Westland chopper deal,advocate Prashant Bhushan said: The respondent is the only person involved in all defence acquisitions since 2003,how can he be placed as the person who would be auditing the accounts?
